Wellington residents arrested on drug charges

Four people from Wellington are behind bars after warrants were issued this week.

Nate Jones@TheJonesTracker

Four Wellington residents have been arrested on several drug charges after an eight-month investigation.

Jeffery L. Redford, 34 of Wellington was arrested on four counts of Sale of Heroin, one count Conspiracy to Sell Heroin, and one count Use of Communication Facility to Facilitate Drug Sale.

Redford's wife, Maggie A. Redford, 33, of Wellington was arrested for one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, and one count Sale of Heroin.

William A. Sirmons, 49, of Wellington is behind bars for one count Distribution of Heroin, one count Use of Communication Facility to Facilitate Drug Sale, one count of Sale of Heroin within 1,000 feet of a School, and one count Conspiracy to distribute Heroin within 1,000 feet of a school.

Billy R. Russell, 59, of Wellington was the fourth person arrested on Thursday. He is booked for one count of Distribution of Morphine within 1,000 feet of a School, one count Use of Communication Facility to Facilitate Drug Sale, one count Sale of Heroin within 1,000 feet of a School, and one count Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin within 1,000 feet of a School.

Wellington Police Chief, Tracy Heath said the Redford's and the other two individuals were arrested in different locations around town. Authorities didn't specify how the couple's cases and the other two's cases were related, or which Wellington school the suspects were within 1,000 feet of.

This narcotics investigation began in September 2012 and concluded Thursday, May 10. Heath said keeping up with cases like this is a lengthy process.

"Number one they're very time consuming, very difficult, there's a lot of things that come into play," Heath said. "It could be the use of surveillance, different tactics, or things of that nature." A brief press release was issued from the Wellington Police Department about the narcotics arrests.

"After an eight month long narcotic investigation, conducted by the Wellington/Sumner County Joint Drug Task Force, arrest warrants were obtained for four Wellington residents, identified above," the press release reads. "In addition to the arrest warrants, Officers also obtained a search warrant for a residence located here in Wellington. During the course of this search, evidence associated with drug usage was located." The Wellington/Sumner County Drug Task Force is comprised of Officers from Sumner County Sheriff's office and Wellington Police.

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